Industry of chaos
by WmanigoldK
Summary: Mephiles returned, and he's in the possession of a chaos emerald and a sol emerald.He descovered a way multiply the power on then, and sell it to the citizens of Megaolopoly. With the total success of the industry, Mephlies begins to take control of the city.Now it's up to Sonic, Shadow and Blaze to take care of him.
1. Old enemy

**Disclaimer: Idon't own anything... except Mephiles' industry.**

* * *

Megaolopoly. This city was destroyed many times but doesn't matter, it's always rebuilded. Now in it's most recent reconstruction, even in a calm Day, you can feel chaos in the air.

Shadow the hedgehog, the ultimate life form, jumps down to the ledge of a near building. He looks up to an extremely tall building, feeling the chaos energy coming from the top. It's a chaos emerald, and shadow wants to recover it.

When He is about to go for it, shadow hears a noise and sees a bright light behind him. Coming from it, he sees a familiar silhouette. Blaze the cat.

"Blaze? What are you doing here?" Shadow asks .

"Good to see you too, shadow. Well, i'm here because i was traking a sol emerald, that is probably in that building. And you?"

"The same as you. But it's a chaos emerald of course. It's in the same place."

"So, someone there has them both. It's probably the CEO, since it's an industrial building. I don't think he is going to just give them for us. We'll need to work together, Shadow."

"Agreed. With the two of us it Will be Just as easy. Anyways, it could be just a business man. The only thing he can do is call the guards.

"Then lets go."

Suddenly, jumping from the rooftops Sonic the hedgehog appears.

"You too?" Shadow asks .

"Shadow, Blaze, Nice to see you. What are you two doing here?"

"We detected a sol and a chaos emerald, in that building over there. Do you know something about it?" Blaze said.

"Yep. I've been doing a little diging about it and from what i know, believe it or not, it's from a new industry that sells powers, chaos powers."

"Chaos power... how?"

"We'll know when we get there." Blaze answers.

The group decided to enter by the front door and see what happens. Inside they find nothing suspicious, Just normal people working... or not.

"This place is weird." Sonic said.

"very. Blaze adds."

They approach the reception desk.

"The CEO was expecting you." Says the receptionist.

She was a fox with light brown fur. But her eyes were empty. Empty like the other workers.

"Expecting us? I don't remember having an appointment here, but if you say so. Shadow, Blaze, let's go, i bet there's a fat guy with a mustache expecting us... again.

"Don't be stupid sonic. Eggman wouldn't be able to control chaos Power, even less give it to people." Shadow said.

"Heh. From what i remember his grandfather created you and you can control chaos Power can't you?

"hmph. He's not his grandfather."

"Boys, please concentrate." Blaze said.

"You may take the elevator, right over there. Have a good day."

"Elevator? Heh,no thanks. I prefer taking the stairs, they're much faster."

"I know you like running mister sonic, but unfortunately, the stairs don't have an entry to the CEO's room. only the elevator has.

"Seriusly? And if the elevator doesn't work? Does the "boss" get stuck in his room? Is he that idiot?" Sonic says.

"I'm sorry, but i have many work to do right now. I already provided you with all the imformation i could and my superior hates to wait, so now if you excuse me.

"Okay, don't need to be rude."

"Stop wasting time Sonic, let's go already. Says shadow, standing by the elevator with Blaze inside.

Sonic quickly ran to the elevator and then they go. Many, many floors pass. They just hear the boring elevator music. Minutes pass but it feels like an eternity.

"How did she knew me anyway?

"You're the hero of Mobius. Everybody knows you, dammit." Shadow answers.

"Oh, yeah." Sonic said.

They finally get to the top... and the door opens. They see a big room with a few lights, similar to an office. Sitting in a work table, they see a familiar figure, emanating great power.

"You?!"

"Impossible!"

"But you were..."

"Dead? ... no, Mephiles the dark, is eternal!"

"How are you still alive?!" Shadow yells.

"Hahahaha... it's funny because, i don't know for certain. Looks like when you defeated me and Iblis in Solaris form, only Iblis was killed in the process. When i woke up i was at near death in the middle of nowhere, but as you can see, i'm pretty good now and also doing something i never thought would do: Running a company.

"And what is this company for? Where are the emeralds? Explain everything or i'll cut your head off... sooner. Says Blaze, with fire in her hands.

"Before this, i'll cut his arms. Shadow replies.

"And i will cut... wait, i think i'm getting out of character here.

"Ok, i'll fulfill your curiosity. It began when i found these emeralds on my travels. I was still too weak, but over time i felt my powers returning. Thanks to my association with chaos power, the emeralds healed me completely. But i wanted more, much more. I didn't found anymore emeralds, but it didn't mattered... because i descovered a way to copy and mutiply the Power on then, in which i won't tell you how, of course. But i needed equipment to keep it that way. Very expensive material. So, to gain the money, i "recruited" some people to assist me and i began to sell the Power. Total success. Now i have the equipment, the industry and the Power."

"Copy and Multiply the Power? That's impossible!" Says shadow in rage.

"And even if could,how would you control it?!" Blaze said.

"That was everything i had to say. Now leave or i'll destroy you."

"Then that's it. Shadow, Blaze, let's go!"

Sonic begins the fight with a spin dash. But then, Mephiles creates a Magic shield that easily deflects and throws Sonic away. Blaze attacks the Magic shield spining like a fire tornado. After a few seconds Blaze manages to destroy it, but the impact makes the two to bounce back. Shadow takes the oportunity and throws a chaos spear, but Mephiles disappears moments before it can hit. He reappears behind Shadow. Feeling his presence, Shadow instinctively tries to punch him, but before it could hit, Mephiles grabs his arm and begins to throw Shadow in the ground. Blaze charges a fire ball, but seeing the danger, Mephiles uses Shadow as a shield. Blaze hesitates and contains the fire Ball on the last second.

"I guess you don't have much of a choice now."

"Maybe i don't, but sonic..."

Mephiles feels a strange Wind and before he could turn around to see what it is, he gets hit by a powerful spin dash, powerful enough, to let Shadow grab Mephiles and throw him into the air. Blaze charges the fire ball again and Shadow creates an energy beam. Mephiles is hited by the two with full Power. He yells in pain, then falls to the ground.

"Enough!" Says Mephiles in rage.

A powerful shockwave hits the room, throwing Sonic, Shadow and Blaze away. Seconds later, Sonic gets up first and prepares another spin dash, but before he could finish, he gets hit by Mephiles energy beam. The potency of the beam makes Sonic burst through wall and fall down the building.

"Sonic!" Blaze screamed.

"Dammit! No!"

"Now it's your turn!" Says Mephiles while making another beam.

The Beam is two times bigger than the last one, targeting both Shadow and Blaze. The beam is launched, then without thinking two times, Blaze pushes Shadow out the way, making her take all the damage. She is launched into the elevator. The force of the impact, then breaks the cables making the elevator to fall.

"No." Shadow said.

Shadow feels a huge sense of urgency, then without looking back, he jumps down in order to save Blaze.

"Looks like everything is going according to plan. Except Sonic falling out of the building. But since the Shadow and Blaze didn't tried to help him, it seems he sill alive. Well, Just a minor problem."


	2. Gems of chaos

**Mephiles demanded his building to be 3 km tall, but he didn't had enough money. So it could only be 2798 m tall. Just a small fact.**

* * *

Now continuing the story.

The elevator is falling and Blaze is unconscious. Shadow tries to accelerate his fall with his air shoes. He almost reaches the elevator but he is interrupted when, strangely, the walls begin to shift positions. Shadow dodges the walls as fast he can, but the situation gets worse when the elevator changes between lanes. He evades most of the obstacles, along the way and begins to get closer again.

Clearly, the changes on the positions were Mephiles doing. Shadow tries not to think of that "possibility" and continues gets close enough and uses his teleportation to get inside but, suddenly, he's held back by an invisible force.

"What is this? It appears some kind barrier." Shadow thought.

Seeing that chaos powers probably won't work, Shadow goes for the brute force and tries to open the elevator ceiling, but it's useless, the lock is too strong, even for him. He doesn't have other choice. To gather the necessary strength Shadow removes his inhibitor rings. A red aura involves him, then he easily destroys it. Shadow quickly gets inside, carries Blaze and jumps out. He lands on near a plataform, while the elevator crashes to the ground.

Blaze begins to recover consciousness.

"uhrrn... Shadow?" Blaze murmured.

"Are you all right?" Shadow asked.

"Yes, but... What happened?"

"Well, something like a bungee jump." Shadow answers.

"Funny. Urnn... The last thing i can remember is being hit by that beam."

"You ended up inside the elevator. The cables were cut and had to save you. And by the way, Thanks for saving me from the beam." Shadow said, while helping Blaze to get up.

"So i think that makes us even." Blaze Said.

"Yeah... Wait. I Just remembered. My inhibitor rings!"

"Your inhibitors what?"

"My inhibitor rings. Those rings on my wrists. I took then out to break the elevator ceiling and get you out."

Shadow jumps down where the elevator crashed and begins to search for the rings between it's remains. Blaze follows right after to help him.

"What exacly happens when you get then out?"

"I get a Power boost, for a short time. But after that i... i... get a little... exhausted..."

"Shadow, are you feeling all right?"

"No. It's already happening... and i... can't find the rings. They were suppose to have fell around here. But...i don't see then anywhere." Shadow answers.

"Wait, i think i found something." Blaze Said.

She picks a strange purple glowing stone, under some cables.

"What... is this?" Shadow asked.

"I don't know. It appears some kind of gem. I feel chaos power coming from it."

"Hmmn... Maybe Mephiles attached it to the elevator... in order to create a barrier against my powers... that's why i couldn't teleport inside. Well... that's what i think." Shadow Said.

"This would explain how Mephiles is Mutiplying the chaos power, and controling it. By letting it inside these gems."

"Maybe. But now i think i can put it to good use."

"How so?"

"Give it here." Shadow asked.

Blaze gives the gem, then Shadow smash it with his hands. The energy inside the gem goes through Shadow and Blaze, revigorating then.

"I'm feeling better now." Blaze said.

"Me too. I'm not exhausted anymore."

"How did knew that would happen?" Blaze asked.

"I didn't. now, how do we get to the top of the building from here?"

"Using the stairs of course."

"Yeah, but i would really like a shortcut." Shadow said.

"Shortcut? Well, i think we could jump our way to that opening over there. It seems to lead to the fifth floor."

"Then let's get going."

They jumped and continued by the stairs.

The two passed the 41nd floor in less than a minute. then suddenly, they see an employee walking down the stairs, by the entry of the 42nd floor. They try to slow down and go back, but it's was too late. The employee sees then and goes back to the room calling for help. Shadow runs and knocks him out before could enter. The employees inside the room take fire weapons and open fire at Shadow. He easely dodges the shots and takes down one-by-one. Blaze enters right after.

"Mephiles will pay for controling these people." Blaze said.

"Damn he will. It's hard to control every single punch i give."

"Can you see any notification about this place?"

"The board on the door says: Lab." Shadow Said.

"Interesting. Let's investigate and see if it has something important around.

"ok, i'll check there."

The room is primarily White, with Black details. Shadow was looking at the table in the middle of the room. There Were many things on it but nothing of interest. Blaze looks up to a machine. It's has cables that appears to be conecting to the upper side of the building. She sees gems inside containers, connected to then.

"Shadow, come here."

"What is it?"

"This machine seems to be conducting power to these gems." Blaze Said.

"Want me to destroy it?"

"No, i'll do it. I'm Just going to take another look before anything."

"Ok, and i Will take a look at those broken stairs over there. It appears lead to another short cut" Shadow said.

The broken metallic stairs were outside the room, leading to a disconnected section 10 floors up. The entire place was nothing but a vaccum. Shadow couldn't see the end of the left , nor the right, even less down.

After looking around for a few moments, Shadow hears a strange noise. It was coming from the vents of the front section.

"Shadow, did you hear something?" Blaze said, while burning down the gems machine.

Shadow doesn't responds, he just continues to look to the vents, preparing himself for a battle.

Flying robots violently come out. 10 in total. Shadow fires chaos Spears, destroying 3 of then. The other robots dodges the remaning Spears and rush towards him. Shadow avoids most of then but it's hited in the process. Blazes shots some fire balls and destroys other 5.

Shadow uses a spin dash in mid air, hitting the remaning robots like a pinball. And one by one they fall, scratching metalical pieces to the ground. The hedgehog lands and takes his breath.

"Hmph. Is this the kind of secury Mephiles have? Pitful." Shadow cross arms in disgust.

"I think you should look again, Shadow."

The entire place begins to shake, like a herd was passing through. A swarm of robots comes, destroying the vents and the walls around it.

"Sigh. Doesn't matter, it still pitful." Shadow rush towards the swarm, destroying every robot in his way.

Blaze joins the fight, covering her entire body in flames.

The two do a killing spree. The sound of explosion was non stop.

After several minutes, the robots were still coming at the same rate. Shadow and Blaze were begining to feel tired. There was no end for that.

Blaze felt that they were being overhelmed by the robots and fell back to the stairs. She thought Shadow would follow her, but instead he kept fighting.

"Blaze, what are you doing?! The battle is here!"

"We need to fall back and rethink our strategy! They're taking the upper hand!"

Before Shadow could respond, he gets electrified by a group of robots. Destabilised by the attack, Shadow falls. But right after, he manages to use the teleport and go back to the room.

"Ok, rebuild strategy." Shadow Said, feeling really tired.

They go back to the lab and close the door behind.

"Any ideas?" Shadow asked.

"Maybe. I took these gems from that machine i burned out, i think we can use then to boost our powers, but i don't know if it Will be enough."

"It's better then nothing. Let's use then."

The swarm breaks through the Windows and prepare to attack them.

"This is a one shot try, let's use everything we have!"

And so they used. Shadow with the chaos blast and Blaze with the fire explosion. The destruction was massive. Every single robot was torn to pieces and the entire room. destroyed.


	3. The factory

The smoke wents down revealing a completely destroyed lab and dozens of destroyed robots. Shadow and Blaze are panting heavily.

"Hunf,hunf... I don't think there Will be more of then... Anytime soon. So lets take the chance and continue." Shadow said.

"Right after you."

They run out the room and jump to the other section.

"Do you think Sonic is close?" Blaze asked looking to Shadow.

"I think we'll catch up with him soon."

* * *

Sonic began to open his eyes. He felted hited by truck and his head very heavy.

The hedgehog looked down to his arm and felt a huge pain. It was broken by the fall. Sonic puts the other arm on it and slowly gets up. He takes a look around trying to localize himself. He sees the city and realizes that he still in Mephiles's building, standing on a platform.

"I think i should fell lucky." Sonic said to himself.

He calmly walks to the nearest windows, to see what's inside. He sees various kinds of robots standing in lines, others being dragged by metallic claws, also others working in computers and conecting robot parts. It was clearly a factory.

"Those robots appear like Eggman's." Sonic thought. "Maybe i should go inside and say hello." Sonic takes two steps back and punches the glass, that by his surprise doesn't even scratch. He shakes his hand feeling a little pain from the impact. Then tries again, punching and kicking non stop.

After awhile, with no results, Sonic gives up and sits back to the window, taking a deep breath in deception.

"Great, I'm stuck here. What was thinking, breaking in there and confronting an army of robots with a broken arm." Sonic walks towards the edge of the platform. "Man, i need a vacation. What i'm going to do with my life, I should be at home playing WOW. Instead i'm here saving the world again."

Sonic looks down and sees some vents in the walls.

"Well, i'm the hero, i should live up to the name and crawl through vents."

And so he did.

Slowly but loudly, Sonic crawled inside. Feeling to be in a good place to get out, he began to search for a grid. In less than a minute, he finds one a few metters ahead. But suddenly Sonic hears something moving right below and stops. Silence takes over and Sonic doesn't even move a muscle. After a while, seeing that nothing happened the blue hedgehog relaxes and continues to move, but Just imediatly after, metallic tentacles pierce through the vent grabing him. Sonic tries to break free but he is violently taken out the vent. In front of him rises a robot connected to the tentacles maintaning the hedgehog in the air. The being begins to analise him.

"Specimen: Sonic the hedgehog, also known as hero of Mobius. Qualification: Dangerous. Extermination recomended." The robot said.

"Wow, chill out dude. Let's not jump into conclusions." Sonic said.

The robot transforms his hand into a blade and prepares to stab the hedgehog. But then a voice is heard.

"Stop unit T-42. I don't want you to kill him." The voice was from Mephiles, coming from the speakers in the walls. Sonic sighs in relief, thinking that the robot would bring him to Mephiles. "I want the incinerator to do it." Mephiles said. "what?!"

"It Will be done master." T-42 walks out the small room, maintaning the hedgehog stuck in his tentacles. They get to the factory and on the other side in the distance the word: Incinerator is written on the wall. Sonic desperately looks around searching for something or someone to help, but he sees nothing of the sort.

They get to the room. Everything inside is filled with gears and valves, iluminated by the flames inside a big hole at the center. The robot gets two steps by the hole and rises up the blue hedgehog, preparing to throw him into the flames. Sonic looks down, it's approximately a 20 metters fall before hitting the fire, then a plan comes to his mind.

Sonic is dumped out, but before falling down he grabs one of the tentacles. Taking impulse by the base of the incinerator Sonic jumps up doing a homing attack on T-42. He lands and kicks the robot from behind, making him to fall. A few seconds of silence and Sonic turns back to the way out, but suddenly a tentacle emerges from the hole and grabs his foot. "Heh. Desperate move man." Sonic runs with full speed to surpass the robot's strenght, then jumps over a pair of big gears, the tentacle gets stuck between them and breaks. The flames make a loud sound, indicating an end to T-42.

"I'm impressed. I thought you were finally done for." Mephiles voice pops up from the speakers.

"Hehehe. You shouldn't underestimate me." Sonic smirks.

"The same to you." Sonic ignores the comment and runs to the way out. But strangely he is blocked by an invisible wall. The impact makes the hedgehog to fall to the ground with a big headache. "What the..." Sonic said confused.

"Now, stay there until i send more troops to take care of you." The speakers turn off.

The hedgehog gives a sigh. "Great. Now what?"

Footstep sounds are heard. He sees shadows of robots appearing. As Mephiles said, they were coming. Sonic hides behind a protuberance on the wall and waits. A group of robots deactivate the barrier and enter. They Begin to scan the area searching for the hedgehog. Sonic tried to positionet himself out of view, but it didn't worked. The robots localized him. T-42 was defeated so easily only because of convenience. It would be impossible to take then out without attracting attention of the entire factory. But then, Sonic hears a sound of metal hiting the ground and cables being cuted, also a feeling that the temperature was getting more hot. Moving his head to the side, he sees Blaze overheating the sistems of the robots and Shadow decapitating then one by one. Simple and deadly. No one outside heard it.

"Hey guys, good timing. How did you found me here?" Sonic said.

"We saw you beating your head against the barrier." Shadow Said.

"So you know about it?"

"It's maintained by a gem contaning power from the emeralds. Mephiles uses these gems to control the multiplied power from them." Blaze answered.

"I see."

Shadow looks to Sonic arm."Hey faker, what is it with your arm?"

"It's broken by the fall. But don't worry i can still fight."

"I think the gem maintaining the barrier will be able to heal it. We Just need to take it out of the wall." Blaze Said.

"Seriously? It can heal me?" Sonic asked, surprised.

"In theory." Shadow replied.

"Anyways, the fact is that when we take it out it Will attract attention, so we'll need to be prepared." The princess said.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Sonic said, very anxious.

"Not so fast faker. We need to be careful to not break the gem, otherwise the energy in it will go to the wrong way."

"So what are you going to do?" Sonic said, impatient.

Shadow doesn't respond. He Just walks towards the nearest robot body and take to the front of the barrier. Steping on it he takes an extra lift with his air shoes and leans his hand on the wall. The ebony hedgehog makes a chaos spear and use it to carefully cut through the wall.

After several minutes of surgical cuts through cement, metal and cables, he finally finds the gem.

"Ready?" He asked.

"Sure, Just a few more robots." Sonic said.

Shadow gives out a sigh, then gets the gem out.


	4. Back to action

The alarm turns on, with the usual red lights flashing on and off, all over the factory.

"Here. Smash it with your hand." Shadow throws the gem to Sonic.

"Didn't you said to not break it?"

Outside, robots of all forms proceed to the room.

"Do what i say!"

Sonic sighs. "Fine."

The energy flows. And he feels the broken bone moving a bit. "It worked... mostly. I think i need one more."

"We'll worry about that later. Those cursed piles of metal are already here." Blaze covered her hands in fire.

"Let's fight our way to the upper floor, it's an open space until there." Shadow pointed.

"Fine, i'll Begin." Blaze punches fire balls, destroying several robots on the way. The two hedgehogs jump over the smoke of the fire, homing attacking everyone, getting enough impulse and jumping to the upper floor. Blaze goes right after, but doesn't get enough height and begins to fall. Shadow thinks fast and grabs her hand.

"Two times in a day huh, princess." Blaze blushes, looking down embarrassed, then jumps to their side. Then they run.

"Two times?" Sonic asked confused.

"When You were dumped out of the building, Blaze was hited by a beam while trying to save me and ended up in the elevator. It fell and i had to go after. Also that's where i lost my inhibitor rings."

"How did you lost them?"

"Strangely, the ceiling was reinforced and there was another one of those barriers, blocking my powers. I had no time, so i took them off. They fell, and i didn't found them where the elevator crashed."

"And you Blaze? Shouldn't you be at least a little bit wounded by the beam?"

"I thought of that too. The impact made me unconscious but the damage was superficial. Didn't even Sounded like he was trying to kill me."

"He didn't even tried to stop me when i went to save you."

"Well, he didn't tried to stop his robot from throwing me into the incinerator."

"Anyways. Let's take this oportunity and try to find a gem for you." Blaze said, ending the conversation.

Suddenly, a tentacle comes from behind and grabs Shadow's chest, making him to heavily fall to the ground. Sonic and Blaze stop running and look back. There was two mechanic dogs and a robot similar to T-42 between them.

"Go on ahead, i'll deal them!" Shadow yelled, in a demanding stance. The hedgehog and the lavender cat nodded and continued to run.

The ebony hedgehog stood up, puted the tentacle around his hand and pulled, forcing the robot to come flying in his direction. Then he gave an uppercut, launching the robot out of scene, making it clash in the lower floor. The two dogs looked to Shadow snarling, then ran towards him. The hedgehog takes the nearest one by the neck and throws in the ground, taking impulse on it, he spins in a circle and kicks the other one in the head, making it to fall out. In the end, Shadow closes his hand breaking the neck of the other. Looking down, he sees many other robots crawling the walls. Too many to fight alone. He kicks the dead dog out and runs away.

* * *

Further ahead, Blaze and Sonic are trying to break through a control panel.

"Why are we doing this again?" Sonic asked.

"Because, propably, Mephiles must be using the gems to maintain the building functioning. So there must be one here." She aswered, pulling the panel harder.

"Very economic for him..."

Finally, they manage to pull it out. Inside, like the pricess said, a gem was in a container, connected to cables. Just like the machine she burned down in the lab.

"... And for us." Sonic said, while breaking the glass of the container and taking the gem out. He smash it, hoping to finally be in full force again. The bone in his arm doesn´t move this time, but also he feels the pain disappearing completely. Sonic moves the arm back and forth feeling it perfect. He smirks with enthusiasm, then notices Shadow coming.

"I've taken care of the bastards, but it's Just a fraction of what's coming next." He said.

"Sonic's arm is healed. I think we should find another short cut and leave the robots behind. We'll need to be one hundred percent to face Mephiles." Blaze Said.

"I agree. I already can't fight perfectly without my rings."

"Fine, but at least let's find something to hold them off while we search for the short cut." Sonic said, feeling a little disappointed for not getting the chance to fight.

"I know what to do, i think it Will give us some time." Blaze looks to the ebony hedgehog. "Shadow, throw as many spears as you can at the robots to hold them, while i do the thing here." Shadow nodded and began to charge a spear.

"Hey,what about me?" Sonic asked, poking the lavender cat.

"You go on ahead and search for our short cut." She answered.

"Right away." Sonic Said, running away.

Blaze passed her golden eyes around the place. It was like a hall-way, except by the left that had no wall, only an open area to the lower floor. She walked to the front, a little bit in front of Shadow. Then, passed her finger on the floor, from the edge of left to the end of the right, leaving behind a wall of flames, as high as the roof. "This should do the trick. Come on Shadow."

"That was fast." He commented.

"I hope not as fast as they going to pass through." Ending the comment she ran. Shadow gave a quick look back, then ran along.

They turn to the first left and find Sonic looking to a room with no doors.

"Found something, faker?"

"Yep! This is where the elevator passes... or passed."

The two get closer to the opening. Shadow looks up normally, scanning the area. But Blaze just looks down, feeling a chill go through her body, then Sonic interrupts them speaking. "See those twisted walls all over up there? I think we could jump over them until the top, easy peasy."

"Sounds good, let's go." But as Shadow was preparing to go, Blaze began to speak. "Wait! I-i think that's not a good way."

The two hedgehogs looked at her puzzled. "I-i mean, because... Mephiles could move the walls more o-or even make then fall!"

Sonic narrowed his eyes trying to understand what's going on. Then he remembered. "Oh, i know what going on. It's your fear of heights isn't it?"

Blaze looked at him with her eyes wide open with fear. Unfortunately he was right. "It has nothing to do... with this." She said snarling.

"So that's why you ran off from those robots back in the lab. Now i know it wasn't Just to rebuild strategy." Shadow said grinning.

Blaze was about to speak, but then they heard the robots coming. Some of them must have already passed through the fire.

"Hmnn... Shadow! Can you teleport Blaze with you?" Sonic asked, seeing to have an Idea.

"I think but not to the top as you might be thinking." He answered.

"It doesn't need to be to the top. What i'm thinking, is you to carry her until the top and use the teleport in case you fall."

"What?! No! i can handle myself!" But as she ended to speak the robots entered the hallway, running like freaks towards them. Shadow quickly grabbed Blaze and jumped in with Sonic. The princess was relutant at first but after looking down seeing no visible ground, she Just holds more on to the ebony hedgehog.

The robots see the group getting more and more far. But as they prepare to follow, Mephiles' voice pops up from the speakers. "Don´t go my units. Return to the factory, i need it be repared and running normally."

One-by-one the robots retreat and go back to their work. _Now, i'll let my aerial units take care of them. _He thought, while pushing a bottun on his desk.


	5. The fear, the kiss and the agreement

"I think i'm seeing the top!" Sonic said, with a hand on his forehead trying to see as far as he could, without stoping the jumping. "I'm surprised those robots didn't followed us here. If it continues like this we're getting to Mephiles at any minute." Seeing that his companions Will not get the conversation along, he continues to talk. "So, how are you guys doing there?"

"We're fine." Shadow answered shortly. But he knew what he said was half true, since the princess was there silent with her eyes closed. She was at the same time embarassed for being carried away and afraid for going higher,and higher. Basically, for her it was torture.

Suddenly, she hears a sound, like flyes flying near. Obviously it was more than that. It was getting more frequent and she felt something moving behind the walls, like it was accompanying them. "Shadow..." But before ending she was cut out by the hedgehog. "I heard it." He looks to Sonic. "Faker, i think we got company!"

"Hm? Where?!" He said, moving his head at all sides trying to hear or see what was happening. Then, when he looked back up, the wall exploded, throwing the hedgehog away. Luckly, he falls on an improvised ground formed by one of the early moved walls.

From the explosion, several flying robots rise. They were Just like the ones in the lab. Just a little bit bigger... and well armed.

"Blaze hold on, i'll find a place to-" But the ebony hedgehog is cut out by another explosion. This time right where he was jumping. Both of them are launched towards a wall. Shadow quickly turns his back to it to protect the lilac cat from harm. The impact makes them bounce to the front and land on improvised ground... But not as they wanted to.

Shadow ended up on top of Blaze. And if the situation wasn't embarrassing enough, also, their lips were touching. When they realized what was happening the look on their faces was of shock and their cheecks were red as knuckles fur. They became totally disconnected from reality, still trying to process- not just what was happening, but also what they were feeling on that moment... Then comes the blue hedgehog.

" Hey! How about you two keep this romantic scene to when we defeat Mephiles, and NOT in the middle of the fight!" Sonic said, snapping them back to reality, right on time for Blaze to see one of the robots, preparing to stab Shadow with a blade formed in it's hand. The lilac cat thinks fast and rolls with the hedgehog out of the way. Missing the target, the robot's blade gets stuck inside the metallic ground.

" I guess that makes us even, again." The dark hero said, now being side by side with the fire princess, that spoke right after. "Y-yeah, now i think we should stand up... and fight." The red on there face was slighty back. " And i think we should not, comment about what happened."

"You tell Sonic about that." She remenbered, since Sonic saw the entire thing and obviously would tell to everyone when this was over.

"If he says something i'll kill him."

"Later, now we kill robots."

As they both stand up, the robot gets his blade out of the ground and prepares to strike them once more. At the same time, they notice another flying unit rushing towards them from Blaze quickly forms a plan in her mind. "Shadow, give me a lift." Understanding the plan, the hedgehog grabs her hand and spins the princess in the air making her hit the two robots with a single fire kick. They're thrown to opposite walls, breaking their wings in the process and falling down.

Shadow and Blaze look up and see Sonic troubled with four units. The princess looks to the ebony hedgehog with confidence. "Can you give me another lift?" Shadow sees that she puted aside the fear of heights, for now. He grabs her hand again and launches the cat to the blue hedgehog location.

She comes kicking one of the robots out. The others get distracted by the situation, leaving the oppotunity for Sonic to turn into a spin-dash and tear a unity near him to pieces. The hedgehog bounces on a wall and prepares to hit the last one, but it dodges the attack. He bounces on another wall and the robot prepares to dodge again, but it's taken by surprise from Blaze Who kicks it direcly to the spin-dash. Finally being destroyed.

Sonic lands and gives a positive signal to the lilac cat for the good work, them he gives a look to her like he's going to tell joke. "So, how long have you two been... you know." He said giving a little laugh. Blaze blushes and looks angrily at the blue hedgehog, reconsidering what Shadow said minutes ago.

Suddenly another robot rises in the air, pointing a turret at them. Endless bullets are shot. Sonic and Blaze manage to dodge them, but they see that the heavy bullets are destroying the ground around. If they attack they get hit and if they do nothing, their ground Will fall apart.

Then, the robot gets somewhat unbalaced, like something had fell on to it. A yellow hot point is formed on it's chest, getting more and more intense, until a chaos spear is revealed piercing through it. The robot begins to slowly lose altitude. A head of none other than Shadow the hedgehog pops up behind it. Becoming visibly more unstable as the spear passes through, the unit explodes. Shadow reappers teleporting right after, between Sonic and Blaze.

"Nice one Shads! Right on time." He said, in his cheerful tone. The ebony hedgehog Just nods in reply.

"Now, with no more interruptions, i think we should keep going." The princess said.

Sonic is the first to attend, jumping up. Seeing the blue hedgehog moving, Shadow takes the opportunity to talk Blaze.

"Will you be able to go on your own?" He Said, asking if she still needed to be carried.

"Y-yes, you already did much for me... Just be prepared to teleport if anything goes wrong." She answered with a kind smile.

As she goes up, Shadow stands there for a few seconds, surprised how she answered, then makes his way. He remembers their accidental Kiss. Looking back now it wasn't so bad. In fact he liked it. The princess was thinking the same. They didn't talked to each other, they just exchanged curious glances from time to time, curious about their thoughts.

Now, the three heroes could see the top less than 30 metters ahead. Nothing would stop them now... Or not?

They stop by a plataform, seeing in the distance on the entrance of Mephiles office a strange but familiar silhouette.

Sonic forrowed his eyebrowns being sure of Who it was, but not believing it. Shadow and Blaze recognized it right after as the figure slowly walked out of the darkness.

It was none other than Metal Sonic. But this Metal Sonic was different. He had the same crystal-like skin from Mephiles and a dark purple aura, indicating a huge amount of chaos energy coming from him.

It seems they had another Battle before the final one. But Sonic had other ideas.

* * *

Sitting on his desk, Mephiles observes Metal Sonic standing there, preparing to face his enemies. At this time, he remembers the agreement he did with the robot, days ago...

Five days ago – Mephiles P.O.V

_"You WILL give me robots Eggman!" I said out loud, grabbing the fat man by the neck. I had invaded his base and it was not easy getting here, so i want to end this fast._

_ "O-okay, i'll give what you want! B-but how about we talk a bit?! I don't even know what happened to you. I thought you were destroyed with Iblis." As the doctor Said that, i realized he was discreetly pushing a button on his desk... Like i didn't saw it._

_ I get him out of his desk and push him against a wall. "It doesn't matter who or what you call to help you. I Will have my damn robots!" But Just when i ended my speech, something fast grabs me and burst through a wall getting me out of the base. We both end up falling in the snow._

_ When i get up, i see also standing, in front of me the one who bought me down here. Metal Sonic._

_ "Destroy him Metal Sonic! I'm getting out here!" After Eggman said that, the metal hedgehog looked up, like he was waiting for the doctor to go away. Then he turned to me._

_ "Now that Dr. Eggman is not here we can talk." He said in his robotic speech, while i looked at him puzzled._

_ "Talk? About what? My business is with Eggman."_

_ "I've been knowing about your plan. Of taking over the city. And that you need the doctor's robots to assist on this."_

_ "What about it? Are you saying you're going to help me?" Witch i doubt it since he is programmed to follow the orders of the doctor._

_ "I propose an agreement."_

_ "An agreement?" Now i was uncertain. But probably he would be just following orders to deceive me._

_ "My predecessors failed to follow who they really were. Failed to be the true Sonic. And by my calculations i think i will too. That is why i propose we work together. I Will give you the robots you want and in Exchange i want you to give me the Power to kill the one who calls himself the real Sonic, that hedgehog, Just like you did in the past. Well it doesn't need to be me, i Just want him eliminated, that's all."_

_ The deal seems fair, but still he could be pretending. Or not... Besides this is what he wanted, to be the true Sonic, and since he is a robot i doubt he would "pretend". Still, i needed some guarantee._

_ "I think i can accept this agreement, but first, i need some guarantee that you can give what i need."_

_ "As you wish." He answered shortly, then he began pushing some buttons in his wrist, like he was tiping a code._

_ When he finished it, he Just stood there looking to me. After some seconds i heard the sound of something like rockets. As it was getting more close i saw that the sounds were actually a troop of ten flying robots._

_ "Here is your guarantee. These robots are yours to command. In time i'll give you more and Eggman will not even notice."_

_ I thought for a while, then i gave my answer. "Then, consider us associates." If i had a mouth now, my smile would be from ear to ear._


	6. Absolute control

Metal Sonic jumped to a lower platform, looking straight to Sonic the hedgehog.

Shadow and Blaze go into battle position, but the blue hedgehog makes a gesture for them to stop. They look to him puzzled, but before a word could scape from them, he begins to speak.

"Shadow, Blaze go on ahead. I'll deal with him" Sonic said in a serious tone. And he rarely was serious.

The lilac cat was about reply the comment, but she's stopped when she felt a hand on her shoulder. It was Shadow, moving his head in denial for her to not interfere in the situation. They both knew they couldn't waste energy with the metal hedgehog and they couldn't get past him without a fight. But it seems Sonic was willing to do that alone. Blaze stood down, comprehending that they could get a better chance if she and Shadow go on ahead. Even tired the blue hedgehog could catch up with them later.

Then, Metal Sonic interrupted their thoughts as he began to speak. "My objective is with you, blue hedgehog. I don't care about your allies."

"You heard it. This is between me and him." Sonic Said, now standing in battle position.

"Fine. He's all yours faker. Just end it fast." Shadow said, preparing himself to proceed. The blue hedgehog just answered with a little laught, then watched as he left.

"Good luck there Sonic." The fire princess said as he replied with a nod. Then she left with Shadow.

The blue hedgehog observed them till they got to the entrance, then changed his attetion to the enemy. Who was there looking at him all the time. Feeling nostalgic, Sonic begins to speak.

"So, now we get to the real fight. The last Sonic standing Will be the winner!" He said passing his finger under his nose. Surprisely Metal Sonic did the same gesture.

"What? You think the world isn't big enough for both of us and one of us has to go?" The metal hedgehog just answered with a nod, then the blue blur continued to speak

"Well, i agree!"

The two jump from their respective platforms and collide in the air. The robot gets the best of it, making Sonic to be thrown away. He quickly recovers and tries another attack. This time he takes more impulse, jumping from wall to wall, colliding once more with Metal Sonic. Now time he gets the upper hand and throws the robot direcly at the metallic wall, letting him stuck. The blue blur lands on top of him.

"Doesn't matter how ugly you get. You'll always be the same for me."

"My calculations tell otherwise, false hedgehog." The robot said as he grabbed Sonic arms and activated his back propellant.

The two fly direcly through a wall, passing by metal, cement and electric cables. When they get to an open room, the blue hedgehog falls to the ground hurt and taunted by the impact, while the metal one remains standing up without even a scratch.

"As you can see i'm more stronger, resistant and... faster than you now." He said, emotionless, but still, with a little bit of certain.

Sonic slowly stands up. "Faster? I don't think so!" Then he begins charging a spin-dash.

Metal Sonic doesn't even move a finger. He Just waits for him to come.

* * *

Shadow and Blaze finally get to the office after a complicated wall crawling. Inside, they see siting on desk the one responsible all their troubles. Mephiles the dark.

"So, you finally came to the center of the hive... Or should i say the top?" He said. Indeed he was feeling inspired today.

"We didn't came here to talk, Mephiles." The fire princess said, involving her hands in flames. She was angry just by looking to his face, although she wasn't showing it. And so was Shadow.

"Well,isn't that obvious. But doesn't matter, either way you will perish."

"You first." The ebony hedgehog said, while throwning a chaos spear to his face.

Before getting hit, the dark being disappears from his chair, that afterwards get destroyed by the spear. Shadow looks from side to side trying to see where he is going to reappear... but he's just pretending. He knows exacly where he Will be.

As he expected, Mephiles reappears right behind him.

"Blaze now!"

The fire princess responds to the call throwing a fireball at the enemy. Mephiles gets hit off guard, leaving an opening for Shadow to kick him away. Then he gets the cristal hedgehog by the neck and throws him to the desk.

The impact leaves it destroyed and Mephiles fallen to the ground. Shadow and Blaze walk some steps towards him. He begins to move slowly, letting out a grim laugh.

"I see you two got better since the last time we fought. And i do have to admit i was to obvious on my last move." He said, now standing up.

"You trust too much in your powers that's why you're going to lose." Shadow said, as he looked direcly to him in reply.

"Hm... Speaking about powers. How are you holding up without your precious rings, Shadow? Because from what i know, you could destroy this entire place if you wanted 't that right?" He said, making Blaze look to the ebony hedgehog puzzled.

"What is he talking about?" Shadow looks back to her trying to say a simple answer, but Mephiles speaks first.

"You don't need to answer. You two will have a lot of time to talk... Now, obey my will and drop to your knees." The two heroes knew that obviously that wouldn't happen, so they prepared to attack again. But then, they feel shocked, realizing theirs bodies were not moving.

"To your knees... Now." They couldn't believe it. They were doing exacly what he said. It didn't mattered how hard they tried, their bodies were not responding their comands.

"H-how?" Shadow said, with a growl.

Mephiles laughed madly, for a moment, then answered. "You think you're smart, but you were fools to take my gems! Thought you could just take the Power inside then and walk away, without any consequense?! These gems were made by me and when i mean "me", i mean it, literaly. Their made by the same crystals in my skin! This made the chaos energy inside them to be freely controled by me, and now that it's inside you i can control you too!"

Both Shadow and Blaze remained in a shocked expression. How they could even think about that possibility? How they could not even suspect about this? They were in his hands now. And that was not all, Sonic was still fighting with his metal counterpart and if the same happened to him, he would be lost.

"Now you also know how i "recruited" my mobian employees. But that just half of the story." He walks towards Shadow. "As you might been thinking, yes, i took your inhibitor rings. In fact. I'm going to wear them now, and show it's porpuse." After putting then on, Mephiles does a gesture with his hand in the direction of a dark room connected to the office. The lights inside it turn on, reveling a lab with a giant gem at it's center. It was on a desk designed to hold it in place.

The ebony hedgehog and the lilac cat feel the emeralds inside it, but still, they feel it somewhat mixed.

"As you can propably feel now, the emeralds are in that gem. But... you can also feel something different, right?" He gives a pause then continues. "The emeralds are fused. It happened by acident a few days before i found them. This is what keeps my industry running. The power produced inside it is equivalent to the seven chaos emeralds together!"

After that, he walks to the big gem, and place his hands on it. "Now, i can have this power inside me and controled, thanks to your rings Shadow. But first, i'll have to transfer it. And for that, i'll need someone who can control it. I'll need... you two."

* * *

They fight fiercely, for minutes. Until Metal Sonic stops, noticing his crystals were glowing. Something was happening. Sonic stops too, feeling reliefed, since the battle was being very difficult for him and he could use some rest.

"It seems that the final phase of the plan is being executed." Said the robot looking up. Only receiving a puzzled look of the blue hedgehog.

"Plan?! What plan?!"

"Mephiles' plan. He's going to use your allies to transfer the power of the emeralds to him."

"No. It can't be... They were defeated then. Because of me. If only i had been more faster." The hero of Mobius said, glancing his fists. Now, not feeling like a hero anymore.

"It doesn't matter. By the time you took the gems, the probability of your victory was already... Zero." Replied the metal hedgehog.

"What you mean?!" Sonic was clearly impacient.

"The gems are made with Mephiles skin cells, that by the substacial reactions..." He tried to explain, but was interrupted by the blue blur.

"Cut it short!"

"Since you took the gems, now he can control you whenever he wants... That's it." After hearing that, Sonic was with eyes wide open. He almost couldn't believe in something like that. Then Metal Sonic continued to talk. "But like i said, it doesn't matter. All that matters is your destruction."

"Wait! If he could control us. Why didn't he controled me yet?"

"Because since his robots failed to kill you. Now i have to do it. And only me." As he said that, the blue hedgehog entered in deep thought. He had to end this battle and get to Mephiles, even if he was powerless against him.

By the time Metal Sonic slowly walked towards him, he formed a plan. If his estimates were right there's something that could help him, dozens of floors below. He had only one chance to get to the right place and no time to think about it.

Gathering all his remaning strength, the blue hedgehog jumps in the air, turns into a spin-dash and rushes to the go through the ground. Passing floor by floor, destroying everything in the way.

More and more floors pass, like there was no end. Then, tiredness takes over Sonic's body, and they fall in a very familiar room.

_This is the place! _The blue hedgehog almost yelled in his mind, while panting heavily. And by his surprise, even after passing through all of that, Metal Sonic was in front him standing still like nothing happened. But he could see his body was damaged, even if not showing it.

They were in the incinerator room. Just like planned. The metal hedgehog was standing with his back to the incinerator hole, Just like needed. It was now or never.

Sonic rushes to Metal Sonic, now measuring strength with him. All he had to do now was drag the robot inside the flames. It was being difficult, he was still fatigued and weak by getting there. But he couldn't give up. So, he began running like mad, trying to make his speed do the trick. Metal Sonic did the same, activating his back propellant. They competed by minutes and Sonic could barely maintain in place. Then, the robot's speed began to fade. His propellant was falling. It was damaged by the blue hedgehog takes the opportunity and finally manages to throw Metal Sonic into the incinerator.

As he clashes down the lava, the metal melts, making him slowly sink down leaving nothing behind. The blue blur looks down for a few seconds, just to be sure it was over. After that, he falls to the ground, no longer containing his exhaustion.


	7. Together

**Well, this can be a little sudden for some of you, but this is it. The final and EXTRA large chapter. Hope you enjoyed this story, and if not, well thanks for seeing it though. And don't forget to see the epilogue :D**

* * *

Shadow slowly open his eyes. He finds himself inside a sphere of glass attached to cables leading to the big gem with the emeralds. Looking to the side, he sees Blaze unconscious, leaning down in the glass estructure. He gets near and puts a hand on her shoulder. "Blaze, wake up." The ebony hedgehog whispered softly.

The fire feline sightly moves her body, then open her eyes slowly. She gives a few fast winks and look to the sides realizing where she was. "Are you all right?" The dark hero asked, getting her attention. "Y-yes. I'm just a little dizzy."

Suddenly, Mephiles appears, materializing himself from the ground. "So, you're already awake. Good. Now we can proceed with the transference." He walks to the other side of the room, stoping by a computer and begins tipping a series of unknown codes. When finished, he puts his hands inside two holes shaped in their form, right below the computer. "It Will take some minutes to finish, so if you excuse me i'll take a nap now. Oh, and one more thing... I think you should feel a lack of "sense" in the process." Then, he closes his eyes turning to sleep, leaving the two imprisioned heroes with a puzzled look.

"Do you know what's he talking about?" Blaze asked, curious about what the dark being meant by "sense".

"No. But i'm not going to just stay here an- " Shadow stops talking, realizing that his body was barely moving.

"What's wrong?" The lilac cat asked. But soon she didn't needed a response, seeing that her body was responding in the same way.

"He's still controling our bodies, even in his sleep." He gives a sigh in frustation. "Looks like he thought of everything. We can't even try to get out of here." For the first time, Blaze felt hopelessness in his tone.

"Then why won't you use your chaos powers? Even Mephiles said you could tear this whole place down if you wanted." Shadow looks straight to her with a determined expression.

"Because i can't control it! So if i did that, you would get cought in the middle and probably ending up dead! And i don't want that." He said, trying to get calmer in the last sentence.

The fire princess looked down, with a little blush on her cheeks. "I-i'm aware of that. It's just that... You know i need every sol emerald to keep my world safe. So, i'm willing to do whatever it takes."

"It will not come to that. Trust me. We WILL recover it."

"How can you be so certain?! We can't control our moviments, our powers and we don't even know what's going to happen next!" She looks down again, leaving a heavy sigh.

"Sorry about that Shadow... I know you're trying to help... And i'm Just here complaining." She then closes her eyes with embarassment. _Come on Blaze, your world was in danger many times before._ _You shouldn't be acting like this, you shouldn't be bothering him with your excuses, you shouldn't- _Then her thoughts are interrupted by a voice. Shadow's voice.

"There's nothing to be sorry about. I know it's really hard for you to remain calm while your world is at stake. Even more in our currently situation." She felt surprised, yet happy for how he said.

They stayed in silence for a few seconds. Then the lilac cat spoke.

"Thanks for trying to cheer me up Shadow. But... I think you wouldn't anderstand how i feel. So lets just focus on the mission, please." That wasn't the way she wanted say, but her stuborness spoke louder.

Shadow was about to reply, but when the first word came out, strangely, he didn't heard it. Suddenly he wasn't hearing anything. It was like he was deaf. When he looked Blaze, he saw that her mouth was moving. She was trying to say something but he couldn't hear it. Staring into her eyes, he noticed that their golden color was disappearing, leaving only a very light grey.

"Shadow, something's wrong! My vision is fading, i-i can't see anything! Why won't you say something?!" She was confused. Why this sudden blindness, and why Shadow wasn't talking to her?

The ebony hedgehog saw that she was desperetly moving her eyes at all sides, while maintaning an expression of horror on her face. With a lot of effort he moves his arm towards her shoulder, trying to calm her down.

She didn't understood why he did that instead of talking to her. But it didn't mattered. With no vision and movement it was like being in a nightmare. So, with dificulty she moved her hand to his. And tried to relax.

After a while, Shadow felt his hearing returning, little by little. But at the same time, his ability to smell was fading. Something similar was happening to Blaze. Her vision was returning, but she couldn't feel taste anymore. They slowly pulled their hands back.

"Now we know what he meant." He said emotionless, then continued. "I had lost my sence of hearing. That's why i wasn't responding."

"And i lost the vision. Now, i lost taste. What did you lost now?"

"Smell." He answered, simple as ever.

The lilac cat looked over his shoulder, seeing Mephiles completely montionless by the computer. "good, he's still sleeping. Shadow do you have any ideas to scape? Because i don't." She knew their situation was helpless but it wouldn't hurt to ask.

"The only Idea i have is to wait for faker. If he shows up while Mephiles still asleep, maybe he could take us out of here and attack him from behind. It's not a perfect plan, but it's the only thing we can do."

"Then, we'll wait." She said, crossing her hands together over her chest.

"... About what you said earlier. Yes, i know how you feel. I know the fear and the pain of losing everything that is important to you." He said, remembering of none other then Maria.

Blaze's ears went up, now she was curious. "You mean..."

The hedgehog left a sigh. "Yes... It happened to me." Hearing that, her expression turned sad. He expected that now she would say something like: _Oh i'm sorry_. But, instead it was something else.

"The same... happened to me." Her ears went down as she remembered her parents.

Shadow looked at her surprised. He knew that she had heavy duty on her shoulders just like him. He knew she was stubborn, serious and hid her emotions, Just like him. But he never thought she would have a troubled past... just like him. Suddenly, he remembered when they were in the elevator area... When they acidentaly kissed. When he had that strange feeling. But then, his thoughts are interrupted when she snaps him back to reality.

"You know... Since were going to stay here for a while, i think we could... Share these memories with each other. I just think it would be good share them with someone that understands. But if it's too uncomfortable to you i'll understand." She didn't like talking about her past with anybody... But Shadow wasn't anybody. She was comfortable around him.

The ebony hedgehog stayed silent for a moment. He left his past behind him a long time ago, but still, it was difficult to talk about it. Even so, Blaze was the only one that understood how he felt. Suddenly, his mind turns to the past, but not the past they were talking about, it was when he first met her, back in the sol dimension. Then it was when they fought her and team rose. Remembering every detail of the times he passed with her, all at once. Their relationship was about to get deeper, he knew that. And somewhat, he wanted to happen... But, something was holding him back. Something that could make him regret everything later. It was the fact that he was ageless. He needed to face the fears and the pain that would bring in the future. He needed to share this with her too.

"It's okay. I'll tell everything." He gave a pause. "It all began when i was created by Robotnick, Eggman's grandfather, in the ARK space station..." Shadow stopped, seeing Blaze opening her mouth to speak. "Created?" She asked. "Yes. I'm a hedgehog with alien DNA, created for a Project to be the ultimate life form. I was designed to be perfect. That's why i can manipulate chaos energy so easily, and that's why i'm almost... immortal."

She tried to lean forward. "It means you can't die?"

"No.I'm ageless and very resistant, But not _immortal_, you know. Continuing, back in the ARK, besides the doctor i had only one friend... Her name was Maria. She was his granddaughter. We expended all the time together. Well... that was until GUN came. They thought the project was dangerous and went after to kill me. Maria saved me putting me to sleep in a scape pod, but... She was cought on middle, shot by one of the agents... ending up dead." He looked down with eyes closed, giving a moment of silence. Blaze stayed in silence too. She was very concentrated in the story. "I slept inside that pod for fifth years, until eggman got me out. That's when i met Sonic."

"And how did that ended up?"

"With me going through earth atmosphere." She chuckled at that. "Now it's your turn. Your highness." He said with a small smile in his face. Indeed, he felt better letting all of that out.

"Well... It happened when i was Just a child, learning how to be princess. My parents gave me the best education they could pay, preparing me mentaly and physically for all the duty i was going to have when becoming older. It was hard but it didn't mattered, my parents were always there for me." Shadow had an impression of how that was going end. "Then, one day i woke up by the smell of smoke. There were flames all over the castle. In panic i ran to my parents bedroom... And when i got there, they were down on the ground, together. Getting near then, i saw what i most feared... They were dead. Suffocated by the fire." She left a sigh. Then noticed Shadow was looking to her with worry. She smiled at him, showing everything was alright. He looked down trying to hide a blush.

At this moment, they had a bond. A bond far more greater than friendship. They cared for each other for more than anyone else. They trusted each other with their lives. And no words were needed to be told to show that. That's why suddenly led by their feelings, they began leaning foward with all the effort they had, closer to each other. Their noses almost touching. Then finally... kissing.

They stayed like that for about a minute, enjoying the moment. Then they felt their missing senses going back. But also... they felt nothing. Both of them had lost te sense of touch, in that very moment. They stop the Kiss and lean their foreheads together, closing their eyes. It wasn't time to demonstrate their feelings for each other. First, they needed to stop Mephiles.

Then, a crack sound is heard. They turn their attention to the office entrance. It was Sonic, climbing up to the room. The blue hedgehog looks around for moment, then notices the lights from the lab. Getting inside he sees Mephiles with eyes closed not even moving. Looking to the side he notices a sphere of glass, with Shadow and Blaze inside it. He runs to them carefully.

"Hey guys. How you're doing in there?" He asked.

"How do you think? We can't even move freely, he's still controling us." The dark hero answered, with an annoyed expression.

"So why you're there? And... why is Mephiles sleeping?"

"Because he's using us to transfer the power of the emeralds to him. And since that would take some time, he simply began to sleep." She said with stoic voice.

The blue hedgehog left a chuckle. "That's great, he'll not even see what hited him." Then he turned to the dark being and formed a spin-dash. "He's sleeping like dead. This will be easy." Shadow seemed concerned, it was really too easy. How he could be sleeping and controlling them at the same time? It was too strange. But Sonic didn't seem to think that, as he spin-dashed towards Mephiles. And that was a mistake. Before he could hit the target, his spin-dash stoped and he drooped down to his knees. The blue blur tried to move but he couldn't. His body was being controled. Shadow and Blaze noticed that their sense of touch returned, and the others senses stayed normal. This could only mean one thing: The transference was complete.

Mephiles opened his eyes, taking his hands out of the metal holes, then turning to the group. "So, you really thought i was sleeping. You fools. I'm Mephiles the dark, i'm not a common being! Idon't sleep." He made a gesture. The sphere of glass disconnected from the platform, leaving the black wind and purple flame to be controled back the center of the office. Then Sonic was controled to follow.

The three stood in line side by side, then drooped to their knees. Mephiles stoped in front of them. "It worked better than i thought. I feel so powerful now that could be called... Like you say- Super!" He said, as green colored flames formed in his cristal skin. "I don't need those weak robots anymore. I can create my own life forms now." He rises his hand forming a demonic cristal bird, then shuts it, reducing the creature to dust. "Now that i've got what i wanted. I don't need you anymore... Well, except you Sonic. I never needed you." The blue hedgehog grinned. "Let's Begin the execution. But who should go first? Hm... I'm in doubt." He looks to each one of then, until his eyes stop by a lilac furred cat. "Of course. You know how they say, right? Ladies go first!" As he said that, he points a fist to Blaze and begins charging a beam in it.

_No... Not again... _Shadow thought as he remembered Maria being shot. He looks to the princess with determination. _NOT THIS TIME! _Then, with all the strenght he had, ignoring all the possibilties he tries breaking out of Mephiles control. The beam is launched. He feels all his bones cracking, breaking, twisting and then finally, he's free. Then with immeasurable speed, he jumps in front of Blaze and catches the beam, with his bare hands. Witch made him earn surprised looks, even from Mephiles.

"S-Shadow." Murmured the fire princess almost not believing in what he was doing.

"Impressive. You managed to get out of my crontrol and still holding my attack." But after he said that Shadow's gloves desintegrate, as the power of the beam forces him slighty back. "But for how long?" Mephiles said, at the irony of the situation, leaving a grim laugh. "Shadow, Shadow, Shadow. Many times you sacrificed yourself for this despitable world. But now... for a mere female? Now that's even more despitable." He said, slighty moving his head in denial.

The ebony hedgehog sees the energy in his hands growing, forcing back again, almost touching the fire princess. Sonic looks at them worried.

"It's no use. You had the chance to stop me and now you will die in vain!" The energy grows bigger. Shadow feels his hands being burned and cuted to the bones, until finally getting to the point he couldn't hold it anymore and then... boom. "We'll see about that." He whispered as the contained energy formed an explosion, throwing everyone away.

When it ends, Blaze finds herself sitting back to a wall. She realized that the explosion left her dusted and her robe with a few cuts. She looks around. Sonic is slowly getting up, near the entrance. Mephiles is far ahead half standing. And Shadow... lying on the ground, motionless. Without thinking two times she runs towards him. She sat on her knees by his side, seeing how terrible was the situation. He had fatal wounds all over his body, blood covering his suroundings. She knew there was no way he could've survived that. Tears began falling from her eyes. She couldn't hold her sadness anymore.

Sonic sees her crying over Shadow's body. He gets in front of her, trying to say something to comfort her in the situation. But it Just doesn't come out. Instead he Just looks down and closes his eyes. There was nothing he could say.

Mephiles gets himself together and looks to the group._ I can't believe it. The explosion affected me. Liberated those fools from my control. Hmph. It doesn't matter, i'll Just finish them off now. "_Poor ultimate life form, dying like this. But don't worry, You'll join him soon enough. If hell is where you want to go of course." Then he began laughing madly in victory. Hearing that, Blaze's expression turned to rage. A rage she was trying to hold since they entered the building. A rage that by seeing the man she loved dead and by hearing that laugh, she couldn't hold anymore.

"SHUT UP!" Both Sonic and Mephiles look to her shocked. That was the first time they heard her voice so loud. Suddenly without any of then noticing, the gem in the lab begins to shine, like the emeralds inside it were reacting to something.

Mephiles feels his Power drooping like water. _What?! How?! Is she stealing my Power?! That is impossible... Unless. _Looking down to the hand he used to shot the beam, he notices an inhibitor ring is missing from it. _The explosion Shadow made must have thrown it away! Curse!_

Sonic looks to the lilac cat, noticing she was changing. Her pulpils had disappeared. Her skin was now in a dark glowing red, with fire around her. That wasn't her super form. It was something else, darkness. Suddenly, she stands up, grining wildly.

Without warning, she rushes to Mephiles, pressing him against the wall. "I NEVER felt so much rage in my entire life!" Saying that, she grabs his arm and brakes it in pieces with incrible ease, making the inhibitor ring in it to fall on the floor. Mephiles' expression was now of terror. He had to admit it, Shadow's death was not turning to be in vain. It became his doom.

Taken by her emotions, Blaze begins to throw the dark being on the ground and on the walls without pity. She punched and kicked him several times, leaving cristal pieces scattered all over the room. He was being obliterated and his perfect plan was being torn apart together. She throws him on the ground one more time and jumps over him, punching his face non stop. Then she hears Sonic.

"Blaze stop! We can still save him!" Hearing that, she stops imediately.

"What are you saying?!" She said, not conviced.

"It's like gems. If you use the power you have on Shadow maybe we'll be able revive him. It could be enough to make his heart beat again."

"Are you sure about that?!" She said, with rage still being her major emotion.

"No. But we don't have other choice. He's the ultimate life form. it should work." He said, hoping she would agree.

The fire princess thinks for a moment. That Power was affecting her mental state. She had to think clearly. "Fine." She stood up and went over Shadow's body, leaving an agonizing Mephiles behind.

Sitting down, she tried to calm down. Her pupils returned and her skin became more clear. She was in her true super form now. She Puts her hands over his white furred chest, pressing it. But nothing happens. "Try again... Now." The blue hedgehog said calmly. She tried again. And again. And again. But still, nothing. Then, she stops but not giving up. "Sonic, i need the rings." He simply nooded and went after them.

After a few moments he comes back and wears them on the ebony hedgehog. Blazes gives a sigh and press his chest again, now transfering her power with success and making her return back to normal. At first silence, then she begins to feel a slow beat under her palm, and sees his wounds healing. "_It _worked_!" _She almost yelled, feeling relified. Sonic feels surprised, he didn't thought that would actually work. A smile grows in his face.

Shadow begins to open his eyes slowly, taking a hand to his forehead. "Hm... What the..." He said recovering consciousness. Then by impulse, the fire feline wraps her hands around him, giving a hug. At first he feels a little surprised, but then, he Just smiles. Sonic also smiles with a chuckle.

Suddenly, a sound of glass breaking is heard. They turn to see Mephiles holding the two mixed emeralds, with the big gem destroyed in front of him. "You made it. You destroyed my plans... My dreams... My company. I have to admit it, it's all over for me." He said, putting the emeralds inside his own chest. "But... If i will fall, you'll fall with me!"

"What is he doing?!" Sonic asked.

"He pretends to use the emeralds as fuel to blow up everything!" Blaze said, now standing up.

"What?! What we're going to do now?!" The blue hedgehog said getting desperate. But Shadow seems to come up with a plan.

"We have to get the emeralds out of him and difuse them." He said with confidence.

"Yes, but HOW we do it?" Asked the fire feline.

The ebony hedgehog puts a hand under his chin. "It's a wild theory. but, i think if we get our powers together, it could form enough energy to pierce through his chest and separate the emeralds in the process." He said, looking direcly to her.

"If it's all we have, i'm willing to try." She said moving her shoulders.

The two positionated side by side. Shadow formed a chaos spear and Blaze a fire ball. Getting the two powers near, they begin to mix together, forming a yellow lance engulfed in flames. "So how do you pretend to call it?" The blue hedgehog asked pointing to the new brand power.

They look to each other. "Sol lance." They said together before rushing towards the dark being. As the attack hits, a bright light flashes, making Sonic to rise a hand over his a few seconds he lowers it to see what happened.

As expected, the sol lance pierced direcly through Mephiles' chest. Finally leaving the two emeralds separated, lying on the ground.

"I can't believe... That i'll die, like this." Mephiles said as he began looking up. "Iblis... Now i'm going to join you... in the other world." Then, his body begins to break, being reduced to only a pile of dead grey dust. Mephiles was no more. A complete silence.

Sonic begins to form a smile on his face. "Yeahhh! We won! High five!" He said in a cheerful tone of victory. Shadow and Blaze look to each other moving their shoulders, like: Why not? So the three join in a friendly high five. Then with no more power from Mephiles' gems the lights turn off, leaving the room in complete darkness. But it didn't mattered. Everything was fine.


	8. Epilogue for the win

**Just a small epilogue, nothing else. Hope you enjoyed and let me know if you want a sequel. Now roll credits.**

* * *

Shadow and Blaze sat side by side on the edge of a building, observing Mephiles' industry being demolished in the distance. All the gems were destroyed with him. The workers recovered from his mind control, and most of the robots flew back to eggman's base while others were dismantled or confiscated.

The lilac cat looked to the ebony hedgehog. He was oddly silent since they arrived. His was face down, with a concerned expression. But why, if it was him who called her there in first place. She leans closer to him with an arm with his. "What bothers you?" She asked softly.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" He replied, with a broken look in his face.

"Do what?" She asked, pretending not to know what he meant.

The ebony hedgehog shook his head. "You know... Us, being together."

"Yes. Of course i want." She leans her face closer. "But what about you?"

"A lot... But..." He said turning his face down again.

"But what?"

"I'm ageless... Remember?" The dark hero said, almost losing his voice. He knew it was inevitable, Blaze would get older and would still be the same. She would die... And would still be the same, living on with this pain forever.

"I know it won't be easy in the future, but... I want to be with you. And won't give up on that." Then she links her hands with his, looking straight into his eyes. "Afterall, it's better to have some happy moments in life... Than not having them at all." Hearing that, Shadow remembers what Rouge said months ago. It was the same thing. They were right.

It didn't mattered what the future would bring him... Now all he had to do was enjoy the present. "Your right." He whispered as leaned his closer to Kiss her. But suddenly, she stands up, leaving him with a confused look.

"You know what, i think i want this to be more interesting." She said with a playingful grin.

"What?" He asked, still being confused.

"If want me, than i'll have to catch me." Shadow raised na eyebrow.

"So you're saying that even after i saved you from a falling elevator, a fall to an army of robots, carried you away and died to save your life. I still have to play tag with you to earn a Kiss?!" He said, not forgetting that she also saved him.

"Yes." The fire princess answered as she sprinted away.

"Fine then." He said smiling to himself, running after her.

* * *

After running for half an hour, Blaze no longer sees Shadow and stops by the beach taking a moment to rest. But then, when she moves her head to look back Just to be sure. Something moving like a black blur grabs her at high speed. They both end up rolling down on the warm sand.

When they stop, Blaze looks up and sees Shadow on top of her. "Got you." He whispered, leaning his head closer. She smiles gently doing the same. Then their lips meet, leaving all the problems behind.

They were now after a long time, in peace.


End file.
